Author: Sydney Hoffman

Hey, my name is Sydney Hoffman, and I am from a small town called Archie, Missouri. My love of agriculture was handed down to me by my dad who grew up on a farm in northern Missouri — unlike my mom, who is a Kansas City native. I am currently a freshman majoring in science and agricultural journalism. As a 10-year member of the Cass County 4-H program and four-year member of the Cass Career Center FFA program, I have gained valuable life lessons including: confidence, public speaking skills, and a respect for hard work. These organizations have allowed me to try new things that allowed me to find a passion in photography. Being able to communicate through pictures is powerful, and I hope I can make a career out of that someday.

by Sydney Hoffman • December 10, 2015 • Comments Off on Desire to help led Shannon to career in extension

Pictures drawn by her children, family photographs and images of pigs surround Marcia Shannon in her small office in the Animal Science Research Center on the east side of the MU campus. Shannon, the state extension swine nutrition specialist, is…

by Sydney Hoffman • November 20, 2015 • Comments Off on Organic and conventional farmers have same goal to produce good food

Organic and conventional farmers have basic differences in methods used, but in the end they both produce food for consumers. Organic farming is a growing business in the United States with over $39 million in domestic sales and an 11 percent…

by Sydney Hoffman • November 6, 2015 • Comments Off on CP Editorial: Keep sustainability out of USDA nutrition guidelines

Dietary guidelines should focus on health and nutrition rather than environmental issues. For the past few months, the United States Department of Agriculture’s new set of dietary guidelines was in the news — not because of nutrition issues, but because…

by Sydney Hoffman • October 1, 2015 • Comments Off on Arrowhead Stadium to host largest barbecue contest in the world

The American Royal is hosting the annual World Series of Barbecue at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 2-3. For the first time in 36 years, the barbecue contest is being moved out of the West Bottoms of Kansas…